Shell joined the 12th League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Expo held last July 4-5, 2013, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, where its social performance and contributions to nation building were highlighted. Themed ‘Isang Bansa. Isang Bukas. Sabay sa Pag-unlad’, the two-day expo aimed to refocus CSR to make a genuine impact on contributing to more inclusive economic growth. Shell is a beacon of corporate social responsibility in the Philippines, and it continues to shape the future of energy and gas by using advanced technologies and innovation to help deliver cleaner energy and to find ways to use energy more efficiently.

Shell Philippines Exploration BV (SPEX) Managing Director Sebastian C. Quiniones, Jr. spoke to over 500 delegates on the first day of the expo, and was a member of the plenary session “Essential Industries: Partners in Nation Building”. Quiniones presented on the Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power Project, the pioneering natural gas project operated by SPEX, which provides 2,700 megawatts of power to the Luzon grid, translated to powering four out of six light bulbs in its cities and provinces. In his presentation, Quiniones said, “After a decade of operations, we now move to the next phases of the Malampaya Project. And for the very first time, we are constructing an offshore platform here in the country, using local talents.”

The LCF is composed of 76 operating and grant-making corporate foundations and corporations seeking to use the power of CSR to provide business solutions to the country’s social problems. The group’s mission is to enhance the practice of CSR for nation-building, which can be achieved through effective and strategic corporate social investments among its members and the larger business community.

In line with this, Quiniones spoke about SPEX’s social performance, as something that is intrinsic in all Shell companies. “Through our social arm, the Malampaya Foundation, we are able to train local workers to work on Malampaya’s next phases of development. We hope to be a beacon not only for the energy sector, but also for other industries to follow, contributing to the sustainable growth and improvement of the quality of life for all the Filipinos,” Quiniones said.

SPEX Managing Director Sebastian C. Quiniones, Jr. presented the Malampaya Project to the delegates of the CSR Expo. He also took part in the panel during the discussion on “Essential Industries: Partners in Nation Building.”

The expo also featured an exhibition on the development work of companies, corporate foundations, and other organisations. Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), featured some of its programs in a booth at the said exhibit. The foundation’s programs that were showcased include Sanayan sa Kakayahang Industriyal (SKIL), Gas Mo Bukas Ko (GMBK), Integrated Farming Bio-Systems (IFBS), and Movement Against Malaria (MAM). Just last year, PSFI marked its 30th anniversary and celebrated the foundation’s continued dedication to the pursuit of sustainable development programs that has helped millions of Filipinos.

The expo was attended by a diverse group of CSR practitioners, entrepreneurs, government representatives, students, and civil society partners. Each year, the expo is organised as a large-scale green conference and endeavours to reduce its carbon footprint by keeping wastage to a minimum, going paperless, and using recycled materials and less energy throughout the event.

Numerous communities have been beneficiaries of Shell’s sustainable social and environmental programs aimed at furthering their development, and PSFI is proof of this commitment. By partnering with communities, the local and national government, and with various stakeholders, Shell continues to empower people towards environmental advocacy, to champion enterprise development, preventive healthcare, education and skills training, and to upgrade health care centers and facilities.